Most beneficial fish for a reef tank

[FishPureLuck]

I am setting up a 48" 80 gallon mostly SPS tank, and I'm wondering what everyone thinks is the most beneficial fish to add to the tank and why. By beneficial, I mean that the fish eats nuisance algae and or pests. Coming from a 300 gallon SPS with an almost unlimited selection of fish, the 80 gallon SPS is a lot more limited to what I can put in there and keep happy. The 300 met size requirements for most reef fish that are readily available in the hobby, the 80 does not. So what are everyone's favorite beneficial fish that will thrive in a 48" 80 gallon mostly SPS mixed reef?

 

[doubleshot00]

1. Scopus or yellow tang.
2. One spot foxface

 

[Bucs20fan]

1. Bristle tooth tang
2. Sixline wrasse
3. Diamond goby (if sand on bottom)
4. One Spot Foxface

 

[The_Skrimp]

One spot fox face
one of the only fish I’ve seen yank out and eat longer strands of hair algae.

Melanurus wrasse
Constantly hunting for pests. You might have to tailor your clean up crew because they can go after some snails and smaller shrimp but they are worth it for keeping pests out of the tank.

 

[FishPureLuck]

I see that you both say One Spot Foxface, this is one of the very few fish that I can't keep alive no matter what I do. That and a Blonde Naso. Maybe it was the lack of algae in the 300. I was thinking Bristle tooth tang, but I think a 48" 80 gallon is pushing it size wise. What do you think Bucs20fan?

 

[Bucs20fan]

I see that you both say One Spot Foxface, this is one of the very few fish that I can't keep alive no matter what I do. That and a Blonde Naso. Maybe it was the lack of algae in the 300. I was thinking Bristle tooth tang, but I think a 48" 80 gallon is pushing it size wise. What do you think Bucs20fan?

Thats specifically why I said a bristletooth, they stay small, usually max out at around 5 inches or so. The one spot stays smaller as well. Im not sure why you couldnt keep a one spot alive, Mine grazes on rocks and eats nori every now and again, but loves algae pellets, I believe the ones I use are by New Life Spectrum. Alot of reefers keep a tomini aka bristletooth in a 48 inch 75 gallon, your 80 will be just fine.

 

[doubleshot00]

I see that you both say One Spot Foxface, this is one of the very few fish that I can't keep alive no matter what I do. That and a Blonde Naso. Maybe it was the lack of algae in the 300. I was thinking Bristle tooth tang, but I think a 48" 80 gallon is pushing it size wise. What do you think Bucs20fan?

What do you mean you couldn’t keep it alive? Did you feed nori?

 

[FishPureLuck]

Thats specifically why I said a bristletooth, they stay small, usually max out at around 5 inches or so. The one spot stays smaller as well. Im not sure why you couldnt keep a one spot alive, Mine grazes on rocks and eats nori every now and again, but loves algae pellets, I believe the ones I use are by New Life Spectrum. Alot of reefers keep a tomini aka bristletooth in a 48 inch 75 gallon, your 80 will be just fine.

I may give the one spot another try, it's been about 10 years since I've had one. So far you pretty much picked what I thought I wanted/needed. Any minimum/maximum size that I should look for on any of the fish that you listed? From my experience, certain fish don't like being captured too young/small, or too old/large.

 

[FishPureLuck]

What do you mean you couldn’t keep it alive? Did you feed nori?

Yes, I had a few other tangs in the tank, one being about a 12" vlamingi tang that I raised from about 2" and a 10" blue tang raised from barely 2". I fed Nori along with a bunch of other veggies. The Fox and blonde would eat, then just randomly die. They looked perfect when they died, just dead. Tried it twice with both, then gave up. I don't like killing things.

 

[EagleEye121]

Definitely a bristletooth tang. I’ve got a yellow eye spotted kole in my 4’ now and he’s constantly grazing

 

[EagleEye121]

Also the Halichoeres wrasses are great utilitarian fish
I have a Melanurus and a Radiant in mine as well

 

[FishPureLuck]

Also the Halichoeres wrasses are great utilitarian fish
I have a Melanurus and a Radiant in mine as well

I love Halichoeres wrasses, but I also have a pair of yellow coral banded shrimp that would be a quick snack for the wrasses if I got them.

 

[Bucs20fan]

I may give the one spot another try, it's been about 10 years since I've had one. So far you pretty much picked what I thought I wanted/needed. Any minimum/maximum size that I should look for on any of the fish that you listed? From my experience, certain fish don't like being captured too young/small, or too old/large.

IME I think you cant go wrong with a sixline wrasse either. They look amazing swimming in and out of rocks and corals looking for little snacks. As far as minimum size goes, usually one spots come in about 2 inches long, which is a good size. The bristletooths come in as small as an inch, just make sure they dont have sunken bellies and good muscle mass on their faces. You shouldnt be able to see facial bones in a tang if they are healthy. One spots, bristletooths and sixline are all easy on the wallet, with the exception of some species of bristletooths.

 

[Tamberav]

Halichoeres wrasses
China wrasse
Leopard wrasse

Copperband butterfly

Small tang or one spot foxface (however, I don't find algae eaters necessary so you could skip them tbh) - people can keep algae under control with just a cuc and by not neglecting the tank.

Combtooth blennies, I like the tailspot or pictus blenny

CUC crew of trochus snails and fighting conches (if you have sand)

Diamond goby if your tank can support one (nice live sand) and you have a lid - however, can annoy corals... mine would dump sand on monti's to bury them.

Springer damsel - supposedly likes flatworms

 

[FishPureLuck]

IME I think you cant go wrong with a sixline wrasse either. They look amazing swimming in and out of rocks and corals looking for little snacks. As far as minimum size goes, usually one spots come in about 2 inches long, which is a good size. The bristletooths come in as small as an inch, just make sure they dont have sunken bellies and good muscle mass on their faces. You shouldnt be able to see facial bones in a tang if they are healthy. One spots, bristletooths and sixline are all easy on the wallet, with the exception of some species of bristletooths.

Six line is another one that I'm on the fence with. I've had multiple in the past with no issues, but I keep reading that they are mean. I'll probably get one any way and give it a try. Worst case, I catch it and bring it back if he turns into a jerk. The fish/coral store is 5 minutes from my house and a friend owns it.

 

[EagleEye121]

I love Halichoeres wrasses, but I also have a pair of yellow coral banded shrimp that would be a quick snack for the wrasses if I got them.

knock on wood, but I haven’t had any issues with them going after my cleaner or fire shrimp.
The occasional snail or hermit is another story though…

 

[FishPureLuck]

So far, here's my list.

New
1. Bristle tooth tang
2. Sixline wrasse or melanurus wrasse or yellow coris wrasse or ??? wrasse
3. Diamond goby
4. One Spot Foxface "maybe"

Already in the other tank waiting to transfer
1. Pair Occelaris clowns
2. Midas Blenny
3. Firefish x 3
4. Flame hawk
5. 10 Astraea snails
6. 10 blue leg hermits
7. Pair of yellow coral banded shrimp

 

[Bucs20fan]

So far, here's my list.

New
1. Bristle tooth tang
2. Sixline wrasse or melanurus wrasse or yellow coris wrasse or ??? wrasse
3. Diamond goby
4. One Spot Foxface "maybe"

Already in the other tank waiting to transfer
1. Pair Occelaris clowns
2. Midas Blenny
3. Firefish x 3
4. Flame hawk
5. 10 Astraea snails
6. 10 blue leg hermits
7. Pair of yellow coral banded shrimp

So I lucked out and got a bonded pair of diamond gobys, has to be like the second coolest thing ever. Totally worth it even though I have constant construction going on in my sand bed. well that and they keep playing basket ball with my nassarius snails.

 

[EagleEye121]

So I lucked out and got a bonded pair of diamond gobys, has to be like the second coolest thing ever. Totally worth it even though I have constant construction going on in my sand bed. well that and they keep playing basket ball with my nassarius snails.

What’s the first coolest thing ever?

 

[Bucs20fan]

What’s the first coolest thing ever?

The original T-Rex from jurassic park obviously...nothing is cooler than that, so diamond gobies have to come second.